Hold A Ball In Your Non-Hitting Hand For These Benefits

Introduction

When solo hitting or even training with a partner, holding a spare ball in your non-racket hand has a number of benefits. The first and foremost is a simple practical one: If you break the “real” ball, continuing with as little interruption as possible is very important.

Yes, it’s true that it doesn’t take long to heat up another ball once you find it, but that quick search for the new ball, can turn into a drink break, a toilet break, a phone check or who knows what.

There's no need to squeeze tightly when holding the ball, although that will help increase the temperature of the ball faster. Most times, the temperature of the plam is enough to get and keep the ball warm, but not hot.

Below are those reasons, starting with a more detailed explanation of the one mentioned above.

This is step one of the process of Randomised Solo Squash Routines

Interruption Cost Reduction (beyond convenience)

Okay, so I really included this in the introduction, but knowing a replacement ball is immediately available reduces the perceived cost of disruption. This can help maintain drill intensity and adherence, particularly in time-pressured sessions, and may reduce the tendency to “ease off” near the end of a ball’s life.

You know how people say that being interrupted when focusing on a task means it takes a few minutes to refocus again? Well, the same thing is true here. It's called “resumption lag” and I’ve experienced myself.

A session split between pre-broken ball and post-broken ball was like night and day. The first part was intense and fulfilling, but once we broke the ball it was as if the spell had been broken. Once we started with the new ball, we joked around and generally relaxed. In fact, that is where I decided to hold another ball and learnt about all the other points mentioned here.

Attentional Anchoring

A spare ball in the non-racket hand provides continuous tactile input. This can act as a low-level attentional anchor. An anchor in this context means something that stops or limits your mind from wandering during repetitive solo or conditioned drills. Put simply, holding the ball can you focus better on what you are doing.

Similar effects are reported in focus training where mild somatosensory stimuli (basically physical feelings; pressure, temperature etc) help stabilise attention without increasing cognitive load (thinking).

Key Point: Just holding the ball can help improve your focus on your swing.

Follow Up Research: I don’t have any particular articles or research to recommend, so here is a DuckDuckGo search for “Attentional Anchoring in Racket Sports”.

Non-Racket Hand Engagement and Posture

Players often allow the non-racket arm to become passive, particularly under fatigue. This might not be a bad thing if you have achieved a natural non-racket hand movement.

Holding a ball encourages awareness of the non-racket side, which can indirectly support better upper-body balance, core rotation, and recovery positioning. This is especially relevant for players who are trying to learn a new swing technique and need that extra attention.

It's my experience that consciously trying to swing your non-racket hand feels weird. It is important to know exactly WHAT the non-hitting hand should be doing though, so see this as the first stage of letting it do its own thing.

Key Point: Being more aware of your non-racket hand can help improve swing mechanics, balance and general posture.

Follow Up Research: There is no direct squash-specific published study showing that simply holding a ball in the non-racket hand improves posture or biomechanics in racket sports, but there are research findings from related motor control and postural science that support the idea that the non-racket hand engagement may influence body position and stability. But here is a summary of a National Library of Medicine research paper entitled “Effects of non-dominant side training on athletic performance: a systematic review”.

Arousal Regulation

Tactile objects are commonly used in sport psychology for subtle arousal control. In this case, the ball can function as a grounding cue, helping players reset between rallies or drills without stopping. This is consistent with techniques used in pre-performance routines across other precision sports.

It's true that regulating your arousal is more important in real match situations, but by practicing it during training, you are ensuring a smooth transition between practice and match situations.

Arousal in this context means how much “emotion” you have during the match. Too much excitement (close to winning a match), frustration (missing easy shots or stupid calls from idiot referees) or even anger at your general performance level will only decrease your performance. By “regulating” or controlling those feelings, you are more likely to reach your maximum performance level. Holding the ball, is like deep breathing or counting to ten: it brings your focus from emotion back to physical.

This benefit is certainly not experienced by all, or even most players, but it is real. I have found that asking players to squeeze the ball tightly during high-stress moments, for example a really unfair call, can ground the player and avoid a distraction that will almost certainly have a negative effect on their performance.

Key Point: If you find it difficult to control yourself in moments of high-stress, the ball can help you maintain a calmer demeanour.

Follow Up Research: Again, there's not direct research paper that describes holding a ball to regulate arousal, we only need to consider how important “Fidget Toys” can be for the use of emotional regulation.

Any Downsides?

As long as you are not squeezing with all your strength then there really shouldn't be any downsides. The ball’s mass is negligible and does not meaningfully interfere with swing mechanics for most players. Assuming your grip tension remains relaxed, there is little biomechanical cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will holding a spare ball improve my technique or shot quality?
No direct improvement should be expected. Any technical benefits are indirect, such as improved posture awareness or better engagement of the non-racket side. The primary function remains practical and organisational.

Could holding a ball interfere with swing mechanics or balance?
For most players, no. A squash ball has negligible mass and does not materially affect arm swing or balance. Players who grip the ball too tightly or feel distracted should simply stop using it.

Is this meant to be a psychological technique?
Not in a formal sense. The ball can act as a mild tactile cue that helps some players stay grounded or focused, but it is not a substitute for structured mental skills training.

Should players hold the ball during all drills and match play?
It is most appropriate for solo and pairs training. I probably wouldn't recommend using it in match play, although it's not against the rules.

Do beginners and advanced players benefit in the same way?
Beginners may benefit more from the organisational and focus aspects, while advanced players may find value in continuity and reduced disruption. The effect is individual and should be judged pragmatically rather than assumed.

If you have any questions, just send me an email and I will respond. Be aware that any question you ask and my answer may be included in future articles, but I will NOT include your name or any other details.

Final Thoughts

Adding some variety into your training always is a good idea. This basic concept is easy to adapt to fitness and, as with conditioned games, tactical practice too.

Please let me know if you use the idea whether it was useful or not.